Relay



UCL 13, 1942.' R J, Ln-TLE 2,298,572

RELAY Filed Jan. 22, l940` l 3 @FL-A ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 13, 1942 RELAY Robert J. Little, Gates, N. Y., assignor to General Railway Signal Company, Rochester, N. Y.

Application January 22, 1940, Serial No. 314,923

(Cl. 17E-337) 8 Claims.

This invention relates in general to relays as used in railway operation, and has more particular reference to improvements in interlocking relays as employed in connection with highway and railway crossings.

In connection with two-way traffic on single track, two interlocked relays are employed for controlling highway crossing signals, and are so arranged that the release of the armature of one of the relays prevents the release of the armature of the other sufficiently to make up its back point, and the lock is maintained until ait-er the relay has been reenergized.

Under certain conditions, this locking means carries with it an element of danger, in that it prevents a warning signal being given when a train approaches the crossing.

With a view to avoiding any such failure, it is proposed, in accordance with the present invention, to provide interlocked relays which can both release, if simultaneously deenergized, and both make up their back points, but which operate in the usual conventional way in response to successive deenergizations of the relays.

Another object of this inventon is to provide a construction which readily adapts itself to adjustment, and which, though simple in construction, still is durable and long lived.

Further objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will appear as the description progresses, reference being made to the accompanying drawing showing, in a wholly diagrammatic manner, and in no way whatsoever in a limiting sense, one form which the invention can assume. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a schematic View of a track layout involving a highway crossing, and employing the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end elevation of interlocked relays, in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of relays, in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3, but showing various parts in different operative positions.

Referring now to the drawing, and rst to Fig. l, there is here shown a stretch of single track constituted by track rails I, separated by usual insulating joints 2, into east and west bound approach track sections E and W Crossing the track is a highway H and adjacent the highway crossing, are two warning highway signals HS.

Each approach section has connected across one of its ends, a track battery, as EB and WB, while across the other end is a track relay as ER and WR. These two relays are mechanically interlocked in a novel manner to constitute a main feature of the present invention. As is obvious from the drawing, the signals HS are energized through circuits controlled by contact fingers 3 and 4, and back points, of relays WR and ER, whereby to energize the crossing signals so long as either of the two relays is in its retracted position.

The stretch of track is supplied with wayside signals for two direction trahie, east bound traic being controlled by signals ESI and ES2, While west bound trafiic is controlled by signals WSI and W52.

The interlocked relays'of this invention can be employed to advantage in various situations. For example, the system shown in Fig. 1 can be a usual absolute-permissive-block system, or so called APB system, wherein a west bound train, entering the single track section, places all of the east bound signals at stop, while it controls its own signals to its rear in the usual permissive manner.

Again, the system can be of the optional twoway type, with west bound traffic only, for instance, during certain hours, and east bound traffic only, during other hours, with only the signals corresponding to the traffic then in force, being then maintained operative, either manually or automatically.

Again, the system can be employed ior trafc in one direction only, with signals for traffic in the other direction omitted, the interlocked relays being employed to give a highway signal warning for tralc in the signalled direction, and also for the occasional operation of a train in the direction against the signals, as is in practice on various stretches of track in the New York Central system, for example.

The interlocked relays constituting the present invention have been shown in the drawing in a wholly schematic manner, with much of the usual conventional relay parts omitted. The two relays involved are identical in construction, and accordingly, like reference characters, with distinguishing exponents, are employed for identifying the corresponding parts in the two relays.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, the relays have a common top plate TP, on which are mounted usual magnetic cores 5 and 51, having pole shoes 6 and 61 bearing against the under face of the top plate. These pole shoes cooperate with armatures 'I and 11, pivoted as at 8, and carrying operating members or bars 9 and 91, which extend forwardly to cooperate with the interlocking means proper of the relays. The structure, as thus far described, operates in the usual manner, to pick up and release the armatures when the corresponding cores are energized, as by means of usual windings (not shown) controlled, as shown in Fig. l, by the track batteries.

The interlocking means of this invention is constituted by a bracket member B, having a right angle bent portion I fastened to the underface of the top plate in any suitable manner. Depending from the portion I is a bent leg portion II, carrying two pivot pins or means I2 and I3, and two stop means Ill and I5.

Carried by pivot pin I2, are two T-shaped operating members OM and CM1, the members being pivoted at the points wher-evthe heads and legs of the Ts join, and having the leg portion depending and terminating in a lower end portion I6. One end of the head portionv carries a biasing means, such as a weight Il, while the lother end has an inturned portion I8, against which 'the operating bar 8 presses when its armature releases, whereby to rock the end portion I in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, against the bias of Weight I'l.

,Carried by pivot pin I3 is a detent member DM, in the form of a V, pivoted at its point and having a lower leg le normally positioned in a substantially horizontal plane, against the stop I with the other leg 20 positioned at substantially 45 from leg I9. The free end of leg 2%, in its normal position, as shown in Fig, projects into the path of movement of the depending part It, whereby upon bar 9 rocking downwardly, the part I rocks in a clockwise direction to engage with the end of leg 2li, and move the detent member in a counterclockwise direction to position leg 28 against stop I5, as shown in Fig. 4.

This movement of the detent member positions the lower leg I9 in substantially thersame position as that normally occupied by leg 29, whereby, upon the other armature releasing, its operating bar 91 is prevented from moving downwardly suiciently far to make up its back contacts,

since the end of leg I blocks movement of the i depending part Il, as shown in Fig. 4.

If, however, the armatures release substantially simultaneously, it is obvious that both Varmatures can release suciently to make `up their back points, since in this case, the two armatures operate on the detent leg 2G to move the detent to the position shown in Fig. 4.

This detent member, as seen in Fig. 2, is Suhl--I ciently wide to cooperate with both of the operating members OM, OMl, and is made, preferably, of suitable non-magnetic material, such as Abrass or copper, as likewise is the case with the operating members OM, CM1, and the bars 9, 91, etc.

These various parts rst referred to are made of relatively thin, and easily bent material, whereby very ne adjustments can be readily made by bending the legs of the detent member, or the supporting bracket B, or the operating members OM, OlVil, and likewise the projecting portions I8, |81.

From the above it can be seen that interlocked relays have been provided by this invention whereby simultaneous, or substantially simultaneous, deenergization of the operating windings of the two relays, results in both relays releasing and making up their back contacts, as shown in Fig. 1. Furthermore, after one relay has made up its backcontactthe detent member DM is so :positioned .against the stop l5, as to preventthe release of the other armature suiciently to make up its back point.

The advantages of this new type of interlock for crossing control relays can be best explained in connection with a stretch of track, such as shown in Fig. l, and involving APB control.

Consider first that a west bound train is approaching the highway, and that meantime, due to an accidental shunt across the track rails of the approach sectionE, as due to a crowbar, or the like, relay ER has released. This release of ER may also be produced by routine testing of the track circuit by a testman, or by a broken bond wire, or by any other cause as, for example, a direct testing of relay ER at the relay box. In all events, if the release of relay ER has occurred before the approaching train accepts signal WSI, this signal will indicate stop and warn against the danger. If this release of the relay ER occurs after the train has accepted the signal, then relay WR will already have released, and the interlock described above will prevent relay ER making up its back point. Of course, the crossing signal will already have been energized, and will remain energized until the rear of the train has cleared the crossing. Thus, no dangerous condition is set up.

Consider, however, that the deenergization of relay ER occurs at the same time as the entrance of the approaching train onto the rails of block W. This substantially simultaneous deenergization of the windings of the two relays will permit both relays to release, and the crossing signal will be given by both back contacts, 3 and d, and when the temporary shunt of relay ER is removed, so that contact finger l breaks its back point and the train is still in block W, the crossing signal continues, -due to Contact 3 making its back point. Hence, this novel interlock avoids any danger of accident. With the usual interlocked relays, however, very likely relay ER would release first and lock up relay WR against making up its back `point when deenergized and hence, the train could approach and pass over the crossing, without having given any warning signal. v

From the above it Vcan be seen that the only dangerous situation occurs upon simultaneous, or substantially simultaneous deenergization of the relay windings, and that, in these circumstances, the present form of interlock, in vaccord-` ance with this invention, largely obviates danger vof signal failure for highway warning.

These interlocked relays, when operated, function the same as the usual interlocked relays. That is, the release of ER locks WR from making up its'back points, and this lock persists even after ER has again picked up and until after WR has been reenergized, since the armature of either relay exerts a force suiicient to overcome both of the weights II and |11.

In the same way, in connectionrwith a track layout as referred to above, but where signals are either provided only, or are operative only, for one direction of traic, the same general possibilities of highway crossing signal failures are present, and the same safe guard against these failures is afforded by the novel form of interlock provided by this invention.

The above rather specic description of one form of the present invention has been given solely by way of example, and is not intended in any way whatsoever, in a limiting sense. It should be further understood that the present .application oontemplatescovering.all such mocications, and variations, in structure, and material, and use, of this invention, as may occur from time to time, insofar as they are not specifically excluded therefrom, by the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I now claim:

l. In interlocked relays, in combination, two separate armatures movable separately from attracted to retracted position, a normal stop and a reverse stop, a V shaped pivoted detent biased with one arm against the normal stop and movable to bear with the other arm against the reverse stop, an operating link for each armature biased to a normal position and movable, by the movement of its armature to retracted position, to assume its reverse position, each link when moved away from its biased position contacting said other arm of the detent and moving the detent toward the reverse stop, the detent, when against its reverse stop having its said one arm lying in the path of movement of both links when moving from normal to reverse position.

2. In interlocked relays, in combination, two separately movable bars, each movable from an attracted to a retracted position, an operating member for each bar and separate from, and movable relatively to, its bar, biased to a normal position, and movable to a reverse position by its bar upon its bar moving to its retracted position, and a single movable detent member common to the two operating members and positioned in the paths of movement of the operating members and movable by movement of either operating member to reverse position, to assume its reverse position, the detent, when in its reverse position, being formed to prevent subsequent movement of the other operating member to its reverse position.

3. In interlocked relays, in combination, two

eparately movable pivoted bars, each movable from an attracted to a retracted position, a pivoted operating member for each bar and movable relatively to its bar, biased to a normal position, and movable to a reverse position upon its bar moving to its retracted position, and a common pivoted detent member movable to a normal and a reverse position and biased to normal position to lie in the path of movement of each operating member and movable, by movement of either opera-ting member, to its reverse position, in which reverse position it blocks subsequent movement of the other operating member to its reverse position.

4. In interloeked relays, in combination, two separate bars each movable from an attracted to a retracted position, an operating member for each bar which is separate from, and movable relatively to, its and movable to normal and reverse positions, means biasing each member to its normal position, each member being moved to its reverse position upon its bar moving to its retracted position, and a common detent member movable to normal and reverse positions and biased to its normal position to lie in the pathl of movement f each operating member and be moved in the same direction by movement of either, or substantially simultaneous movement of both, of the operating members, to assume its reverse position where it is in a blocking position and condition in the path of movement of the operating members from normal to reverse position.

5. In interlocked relays, in combination, two separate pivoted members each movable from an attracted to a retracted position, a pivoted operating arm for each member which is separate from, and relatively movable with respect to, its member, biased to a normal position, and movable to a reverse position upon its pivoted member moving to its retracted position, and a common pivoted detent member movable to normal and reverse positions and biased to its normal position to lie in the path of movement of each operating arm and movable, by movement of either, or substantially simultaneous movement of both of the operating arms, to its reverse position, where it is in a blocking position and condition in the paths oi movement of both of the operating arms from normal to reverse position 5. In interlocked relays, in combination, two pivoted armatures each separately operable from an attracted to a retracted position, an operating member for each armature separate from, and movable relatively to, its armature, biased to a normal position and movable by movement of its armature to a reverse position against its bias, a detent common to the two operating members and movable to two spaced limiting positions and biased to one limiting position and movable, by the movement of either of the operating members, to assume its other limiting position, wherein it lies in a position to block movement of any operating member from its normal to its reverse position.

7. In interlocked relays, in combination, two separate armatures movable separately from an attracted to a retracted position, a detent biased against a normal stop, and movable to bear against a reverse stop, a biased operating link for each armature separate from, and movable relatively to, each armature, and each movable, by movement of its armature to its retracted position, away from its biased position, each link, when moved away from its biased position, moving the detent toward its reverse stop, the detent, when against its reverse stop, lying in the path of movement of both links when moving away from their biased positions.

8. In interlocked relays, in combination, two separate armatures movable separately from attracted to retracted position, a normal stop and a reverse stop, a movable detent biased against the normal stop and movable to bear against the reverse stop, an operating link for each armature biased to a normal position and movable, by the movement of its armature to the retracted position, to assume a reverse position, each link when moved away from its biased position contacting said detent and moving the detent toward its reverse stop, the detent when against its reverse stop lying in the path of movement of both links when moving from normal to reverse position.

ROBERT J. LITTLE. 

